Shopkeeper Tang pressed a hand to his forehead, trying to mask and suppress the laughter that was ready to burst out, and silently shook his head. The meaning was clear: you handle this.
After a moment’s hesitation, the clerk slowly extended three fingers, meaning three hundred.
For a second, he felt a sense of humiliation. A three-hundred-yuan thing, still being sold at Qishi Tang—just saying it out loud was embarrassing.
“Such an ordinary stone, and you’re selling it for so much?” Jiang Tian was taken aback, then immediately started bargaining.
Hearing this, the clerk almost coughed up blood. A three-hundred-yuan item and you still think it’s expensive? Suppressing the urge to hit someone, he forced a smile and said, “Then… you tell me, how much?”
“Three hundred thousand… no, at most thirty thousand!” Jiang Tian said with a completely serious face.
In that instant, the clerk felt his head was truly spinning. His iron-clad heart, tempered by countless swindles, wavered slightly.
Holding back a mix of laughter and tears, he nodded and let Jiang Tian swipe his bank card.
Although in the stone gambling scene, it was a case of a willing buyer and a willing seller, the onlookers easily concluded that this was just an idiot. He spoke quite arrogantly, but perhaps he had some screws loose.
Well, Jiang Tian had finally shed the title of “Madman Jiang” in Linzhou, only to return to Jinling and proudly put it on again.
Next came the stone-cutting. Several masters rushed to Yu Qiang’s side.
As for Jiang Tian’s side…
The stone-cutting masters seemed unwilling to come over, their disdainful looks as if they were looking at a beggar.
The stone-cutting trade was a bit like being a hostess; if you encountered a good stone and the buyer happened to be generous, getting a tip of eight to ten thousand for cutting out a piece of jadeite was possible.
Stone gambling had a bit of superstition attached to it, focusing on cold or hot hands, good or bad luck, and so on. If a master kept cutting bad stones, over time, the reputation of having “stinky hands” would spread, and no one would want to hire them.
After a long while, one master was finally shunted over to Jiang Tian’s side. He skipped any preliminary consultation and asked directly, “Sir, how do you want to cut it?”
Normally, stone-cutting involved a standard procedure: first, grinding the surface to observe the characteristics, such as the direction of the green color, the development and direction of cracks, the distribution of jadeite and purple colors, the appearance of “fog,” analysis and estimation of changes in the seed and transparency inside and out, and the external shape of the raw stone.
Now, he was jumping straight to the concept of cutting…
What this guy meant was: Hurry up, I’ve got more stones to cut.
Jiang Tian walked up and simply drew a line right down the middle.
The crowd burst into laughter.
This was too… something. Calling him an amateur would be too complimentary—he was simply an idiot!
Jiang Chao pulled Zhao Xueqing aside and, with an air of grave concern, said, “Sister-in-law, I heard a rumor… that my brother Tian had a mental breakdown in Linzhou. That couldn’t possibly be true, could it?”
After securing the stone, the cutting master seemed almost careless as he started the cut. Luckily, his skills were fairly proficient, basically meeting Jiang Tian’s requirement.
When the sound of the saw blade grinding against the stone changed to the sound of the blade spinning freely, no one was paying attention or watching.
When the wheels of fate are destined to reach their end, hoping for a miracle is such a childish thing.
Suddenly, a woman in sunglasses in the crowd let out a sharp scream—like someone experiencing their first… ahem—initial pain followed by immense surprise.
She had seen that breathtaking splash of green, tender and dewy, so glossy and translucent.
Once they clearly saw the nature of the jade, everyone present froze on the spot.
Even an immortal’s immobilization spell or a martial artist’s pressure point strike couldn’t have achieved this effect.
The stone-cutting master instantly felt drenched in sweat. His hands trembled; he almost wanted to cry. He felt utterly drained, as if he’d just been through a bungee jump.
Thankfully, this cut was fairly accurate. If he’d been off by even a little… it wouldn’t be just a question of whether he could stay in this business.
The scene fell dead silent.
For a moment, everyone was dumbstruck, not daring to make a sound.
“What’s going on?” Yu Qiang asked irritably, turning his head.
His stone-cutting had also begun.
But cut after cut was a disappointment. Apart from that outer layer of high ice jadeite, the inside was all powdery and granular, like it had just shattered.
Now, more than half had been cut, and there was still no sign of jadeite, leaving him greatly puzzled and frustrated.
“Over there… they got… an Imperial Glass Seed.”
Shopkeeper Tang found his own voice trembling violently.
Imperial Glass Seed!
In that instant, Yu Qiang seemed as if he had been punched hard, staggering back a step.
“My… my hands are shaking…” The cutting master working on Jiang Tian’s stone said apologetically, his face a picture of misery.
“I’ll do it myself!” Jiang Tian took over the cutting machine and started slicing as if he were chopping cabbage.
When that crystal-clear, translucent piece of jadeite was completely separated and he held it in his hand, the sweltering heat around them seemed to cool down because of that green hue.
Over on his side, Yu Qiang had also finished cutting his stone. It was a complete disappointment from start to finish; not even a sliver of green was seen.
The stone gambling wager—Jiang Tian won!
And he won so thoroughly!
It shattered everyone’s expectations. People stared, stunned, unable to believe it. This outcome defied all predictions.
“A true master! At first attempt, an Imperial Glass Seed, and such a large piece too!”
“He was hiding his skills!”
“Such a sharp eye! Probably few in the entire Chinese stone gambling circle can match him!”
Exclamations of amazement filled the air.
Shopkeeper Tang, who had earlier pronounced Jiang Tian’s certain defeat as an expert, now felt his face burning with embarrassment, as if Jiang Tian had slapped it swollen.
“How did he see that Imperial Glass Seed inside this landscaping rock?!” The clerk also looked utterly incredulous.
“Could it be Jiang Tian actually knows stone gambling? When did he learn this skill?”
Jiang Chao stared dumbfounded at Jiang Tian, full of shock, but also envy and jealousy.
“He probably just got lucky…” Yu Qiang snorted coldly, extremely unwilling to concede.
“Mr. Jiang, would you be willing to sell this jadeite to me? I’m willing to offer fifteen million!”
Shopkeeper Tang, being a businessman after all, quickly collected himself. With a beaming smile, he stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, his expression full of flattery.
His Qishi Tang had been open for years, but it had always lacked a true treasure for the store. This Imperial Glass Seed definitely qualified.
“I’m not selling.” Jiang Tian didn’t even glance at him. He smiled and looked at Zhao Xueqing. “Qing’er, do you want it?”
“Never mind, give it to Ziwei sister. I already have the Eight Fortunes necklace!” Zhao Xueqing replied with a radiant smile.
“Alright, Ziwei jie, catch!”
Jiang Tian casually tossed the jadeite toward Ye Ziwei as if throwing out trash.
“Ah!”
Watching the jadeite trace a graceful arc in the air, everyone’s eyes followed its trajectory, gasping in unison. Some even jumped in alarm.
This is a treasure worth over ten million! And you just throw it like that? You really don’t treat money as money!
Only after Ye Ziwei caught the jadeite did everyone let out a long sigh of relief, their hearts finally settling back down.
Jiang Tian walked calmly over to Yu Qiang and said indifferently, “Yu Qiang, the car keys?”
“You…”
The muscles around Yu Qiang’s mouth twitched. His heart ached terribly.
This car was worth over two million. His money hadn’t fallen from the sky either. Losing it to Jiang Tian like this, he was extremely reluctant.
But with Ye Ziwei present, he couldn’t go back on his word.
Masking the viciousness in his eyes, he handed the car keys to Jiang Tian, forcing a smile. “Fine, a bet’s a bet! Take it!”
“Jiang Tian, you can’t take that!”
Beside them, Jiang Chao stamped his foot anxiously.
If Jiang Tian accepted those car keys, it would mean forming a grudge with Yu Qiang. Given Yu Qiang’s petty nature, he was highly likely to retaliate against Jiang Tian, possibly even affecting the entire Jiang family.
Ye Ziwei also looked hesitant, wanting to speak but holding back.
She knew Jiang Tian was a martial arts master, quite renowned in Jiangbei. But here, this was Jinling, Yu Qiang’s territory.
“Why can’t I take it? Yu Qiang, remember this: when I take something from you, it’s your honor.”
Ignoring the warning looks from Ye Ziwei and Jiang Chao, Jiang Tian grabbed the keys and strode away.
“Hiss—!” Everyone collectively sucked in a cold breath, stunned.
“Jiang Tian’s guts are too big. He dares to take Yu Qiang’s car keys?” one young master muttered.
“Isn’t he afraid Yu Qiang will have him killed?” someone else stared, dumbfounded.
“Jiang Tian, have you lost your mind? Give it back quickly…” Jiang Chao called out to Jiang Tian’s retreating back, his face full of shock and disbelief.
Forget about him and Jiang Tian, the younger generation. Even his father, Jiang Yangming, had to show some deference when meeting Yu Qiang.
After all, Yu Qiang’s father controlled the political and legal systems, holding the power of life and death. Who would dare to provoke him?
Yu Qiang’s face also darkened. A flicker of displeasure passed deep in his eyes before he pretended to be magnanimous and waved a hand. “Jiang Chao, let it go. It’s just a sports car; I don’t really care!”
He really didn’t want to stay here anymore. He asked his companion, “By the way, have Young Master Tang and Young Master Feng arrived?”
“They’ve already reached the Six Dynasties Teahouse!” the companion hurriedly replied.
“Everyone, I have other matters to attend to. I’ll take my leave first!”
Yu Qiang nodded, masking the displeasure and disappointment in his heart, and quickly left Qishi Tang.
…
The Six Dynasties Teahouse was located directly in front of the Mingyuan Tower of the Imperial Examination Hall. It was a two-story building with upturned eaves, painted beams, carved window lattices, and an antique charm, retaining some of the elegance of the “Six Dynasties’ golden powder,” giving a sense of sophistication and depth.
At the entrance was a couplet in running cursive script: “Near the Master’s abode, food cannot be too fine, minced meat cannot be too delicate; / Beside the Qinhuai’s left bank, with flowers forever lovely, with the moon forever full.” It was the work of a contemporary master calligrapher and painter.
The teahouse hall displayed many famous paintings. The place was renowned, often frequented by literati and artists for tea and chat. The owner would then ask for their calligraphic works. Any one of these famous paintings could be sold for several million if put on the market.
In a river-viewing tea room on the second floor, with an Eight Immortals table, old rattan chairs, and the delicate fragrance of premium pre-rain Longjing tea wafting up, warmed by the breeze that lulled the tea drinkers, it was an excellent spot for a few friends to gather.
Yu Qiang walked in carefully and saw two men chatting in low voices beside a boxwood tea table that resembled gnarled old roots or a dragon soaring in the sky.
Three beauties in cheongsams each performed their duties. The tallest and most elegant-looking beauty served tea on her knees, carefully monitoring the heat and temperature. The other two stood behind their respective men, not daring to breathe too loudly.
One of the men sat in the lower seat. He was tall, heroic, and imposing, with an air of boldness. Beside him sat a tall woman wearing a Prada professional suit.
In the upper seat sat a man wearing a yellow traditional buttoned jacket and soft cloth shoes, giving off a Buddhist-like aura.
He had a shaved head, his eyes half-closed, with a kind and benevolent expression. He spoke in a low voice, but it made the man and woman in front of him lean forward, listening intently.
A few bosses from the antique industry, all quite prominent in Jinling, also sat nearby. One had a few antiques placed beside him. But they were clearly on the periphery, not within the sight of these two esteemed figures.
Looking at the man with the Buddhist aura, Yu Qiang felt uneasy and nervous, secretly clicking his tongue.
This must be the legendary Young Master Tang Shaoze from Yangcheng. His presence is truly imposing. He’s only been in Jinling a few months, yet even Guo Yinlin and Gu Siyu show him some deference.
